Sociology as the diagnosis of the modes of existence in untruth – or something more? Autobiographical reflections on the formative role of Arpad Szakolczai's work

In this article, written to celebrate the work and accomplishments of Arpad Szakolczai, I engage in an exercise of self-reflexivity to illuminate the role he played in shaping my long-term research project on the relationship between modernity and consumer capitalism. More broadly, I reflect on how he influenced the development of my identity as a historical sociologist and social theorist. My aim is to recover—for both the reader and myself—the formative impact that my encounter with Szakolczai and his thought had during my early years as a sociologist-in-training. I hope that this brief account may stimulate young scholars to engage with his work with a posture that does not keep separate, but tries to articulate the personal and professional dimensions of knowledge: an enduring and valuable lesson that I learned from Arpad Szakolczai.